Pedestal retaining keys for journal boxes

ABSTRACT

Thrust blocks forming shiftable keys are located in spaced relation to one or both opposite undersides of roller bearing assembly mounted for movement between vertical legs or frame side walls of a railway car side frame or journal box toward and away from a top wall for limiting movement thereof away from the top wall. The thrust blocks are pivotally and slidably mounted on one or both side walls by various mounting arrangements.

[451 Oct. 15,1974

United States Patent Smith et al. l

[54] PEDESTAL RETAINING KEYS FOR 10S/220 IOS/221 IOS/221 10S/221PAIENTEDUU 1 51914 smLaza SHEET 1 0F 6 PEDESTAL RETAINING KEYS FORJOURNAL BOXES This invention relates, generally, to railway car trucksand it has particular relation to releasable inclosures for axleboxmountings. It constitutes an improvement over the construction disclosedin Hasten, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,570, issued July 2l, 1970 and inHasten, Jr., U.S. application Ser. No. 314,174 filed Dec. l1, 1972,which is assigned to the assignee of the instant application.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide for mounting athrust block on the depending legs or walls of a railway car side frameor journal box in a new and improved manner; to carry the thrust blockat the distal end of the short arm of an L-shaped support that ispivotally mounted on the leg or wall at the distal end of the long armof the L-shape; to hold the L-shaped support in operative position by aremovable pin on the respective leg or side wall with the pin extendingtransversely of the support at the junction of its arms; to secure anadapter to the outside of the leg or wall of the side frame or journalbox for mounting the thrust block and its support; to hold the L-shapedsupport in opera tive position by a bolt the head of which reactsagainst the junction of the arms of the support; to slidably mount thethrust block and its support on the leg or side wall; and to hold thethrust block and its support in operative position by a bolt and aremovable transversely extending pin.

In the drawings:

` FIG. 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section of arailway car side frame in which this invention is incorporated.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing how thethrust block means is applied.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the thrust block means.

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, and shows the application of thrustblock means to both of the lower ends of the depending frame side wallsor legs of the railway car side frame.

FIG. 6 is a view looking from left to right of the left wall or leg ofthe car side frame as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a perspective view ofthe thrust block adapter employed in the construction shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section of amodified formof railway car side frame with which the present inventioncan be employed.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing a modified arrangement for holdingthe thrust block means in operative position.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a modified form of thrust blockmeans which is slidable rather than pivotally mounted at the lower endof one of the depending frame side walls or legs.

FIG. 11 is a view, similar to FIG. 10 and shows how the slidable thrustblock means can be applied.

FIG. l2 is a top plan view of the slidable thrust block means as shownin FIGS. l0 and ll.

FIG. 13 is a view, partly in end elevation and partly in section showinghow the present invention can be employed in conjunction with a rollerbearing assembly mounted in a railway car journal box.

FIG. 14 is a view, similar to FIG. 13, and shows the extent of movementthat can take place of the roller FIG. 20 is a perspective view of thethrust block adapter.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the thrust block means.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. l and 5 it will be observed thatreference character 10 designates, generally, a railway car side framewhich is provided with depending frame side walls or legs indicated at1l and 12. The wall or leg 1l comprises outer and inner members `13connected by a cross member 14. In a similar manner wall or leg 12comprises outer and inner members 15 which are interconnected by a crossmember 16. The car side frame 10 includes a frame top wall 17 unydemeathwhich there is located a bearing adapter 18 against which a rollerbearing assembly, shown generally at 19, is arranged to react upwardly.The roller bearing assembly 19 is provided with a conventionalcylindrical housing 20-having a cylindrical outer surface 2l. The frameside wall or leg l2 terminates at its lower end inr a bottom member 22having an opening 22' therethrough arranged to receive a bolt to retaina conventional side frame key.

It will be understood that the roller bearing assembly 19 movesvertically between the depending side frame walls or legs 11 and l2during movement of the railway car. It is desirable that this relativemovement be limited in a more effective manner than presently iscontrolled by a side frame key. For this purpose thrust block means,shown generally at 23 is employed. As shown in FIG. l the thrust blockmeans 23 is located near the lower end of the depending frame side wallor leg 12. In FIG. 5 the thrust block means 23 is located at the lowerends of both of the depending frame side walls or legs ll and l2.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show more clearly the details of construction of thethrust block means 23. I-Iere it will be observed that it includes anL-shaped support that is indicated, generally, at 24 which is formed byspaced apart L-shaped side members 25. A thrust block 26 interconnectsthe distal ends 27 of the side members 25 of the short arm 28 of theL-shape. The thrust block 26 has an arcuate bearing surface 29 whichnormally is spaced slightly from the cylindrical outer surface 21 of theroller bearing assembly 19 as illustrated in FIGS. l and 5.

The thrust block means 23 is pivotally mounted near the lower ends ofthe depending walls or legs 11 and 12, FIGS. l and 5, by means of a bolt32. In FIG. 1 it will be observed that the bolt 32 extends through theouter and inner members l5 near the-lower end of the frame side wall orleg 12. The thrust block means 23 includes a bearing 33 whichinterconnects the distal ends 34 of the long arms 35 of the L-shapedsupport 24. A lock 3 nut 36, FIG. 2, is employed for securely holdingthe bolt 32 in place.

It will be understood that the thrust block means 23 is pivoted on thebolt 32 to swing toward and away from the cylindrical outer surface 21of the roller bearing assembly 19.

In order to hold the thrust block means 23 in operative position withthe arcuate bearing surface 29 in spaced relation to the cylindricalouter surface 21 of the roller bearing assembly 19 there is provided atransverse pin 37 at the junction of the short and long arms 28 and 35of the L-shaped support 24. As shown in FIG. 2 a cotter pin 38 extendstransversely through the pin 37 to hold it in place. On removal of thecotter pin 38, the transverse pin 37 can be withdrawn. Subsequently onremoval of the bolt 32 the thrust block means 23 can be withdrawn forinspection or replacement.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 it will be observed thatthe lower end of the depending frame side wall or leg 1l is cut away asindicated at 41 to permit application of the thrust block means 23previously described. For mounting the thrust block means 23 at thislocation there is provided a thrust block adapter that is indicated,generally, at 42 and illustrated more clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7. Thethrust block adapter 42 is permanently welded in place as indicated at43 and 44 in FIG. 5 and in FIG. 6.

The thrust block adapter 42 is provided with semicircular openings 45and 46 for receiving the pin 37, previously described which is held inplace by a cotter pin 38. Instead of the bolt 32 there is provided atransverse pin 32' which is welded in place as indicated at 47, FIG. 6.

lt will be observed in FIG. that the thrust block means 23 are locatedon opposite sides of the roller bearing assembly 19 and well below thehorizontal center thereof. This provides a symmetrical construction andtends to hold the roller bearing assembly 19 midway between thedepending frame side walls or legs 11 and l2.

The railway car side frame illustrated in FIG. 8 is similar to thatillustrated in FIGS. l and 5 except that the bottom member 22 andopening 22' therein for the conventional frame key is omitted. Thedepending frame side walls or legs 51 and 52 correspond to the dependingframe side walls or legs 1l and l2 previously described. The manner inwhich the thrust blocks means '23 are mounted near the lower ends ofthese walls or legs is apparent from the previous description.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the construction illustrated in FIG. l inthat the transverse pin 37, previously described, is omitted. Instead ahead 55 of a bolt 45, which extends through the opening 22', is arrangedto react against a shoulder 57 near the junction of the long and shortarms of the L-shaped support 24 to hold the thrust block means 23 inoperative position. A lock nut 58, threaded on the lower end of the bolt56 is employed for holding it securely in position. A stop shoulder oneach of the side members 25 reacts against the inside of the crossmember 16 to limit the inward swing of the thrust block means23.

In FIGS. l0, ll and 12 thrust block means, indicated generally at 61, isarranged for slidable mounting on the upper side of the bottom member22. The thrust block means 6l includes a thrust block 62 whichinterconnects side members 63. The thrust block 62 has an arcuatebearing surface 64 that normally is held in spaced relation to thecylindrical outer surface 2l of the roller bearing assembly 19 but isarranged to be engagecl thereby should the assembly move downwardly aslight extent. Openings 65 are provided in the side members 63 near theends away from the thrust block 62 for receiving a transverse pin 66. Itwill be understood that the pin 66 extends transversely through theouter and inner members l5 of the depending frame side wall or leg l2 inthe manner previously described for the pin 37.

The thrust block means 61 has a bottom wall 67 interconnecting the sidemembers 63. As shown in FIG. 12 an elongated opening 68 is formed in thebottom wall 67 and has a semi-cylindrical end 69 for receiving a shank70 of a bolt 7l. The bottom wall 67 also has a square opening 72 forreceiving a head 73 of the bolt 7l as illustrated in FIG. 10; A lock nut74 serves to hold the bolt 71 securely in operative position. Afterapplication of the lock nut 74,.weld metal is applied to the lower endof the bolt to prevent loss of the lock nut 74.

The thrust block means 61 is installed as illustrated in FIG. 11 withthe lock nut 74 loose. Here ths shank 70 of the bolt 71 abuts thesemi-cylindrical end 69 of the elongated opening 68. Then the thrustblock means 61 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 10 where the head73 drops into the square opening 72. Next the nut 74 is tightened andfinally the pin 66 is inserted to react against endwise force applied tothe thrust block means 61. The transverse pin 66 corresponds to the pin37 previously described and is held in place by a cotter pin or similarmeans.

Referring now to FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 it will be noted that referencecharacter designates, generally, a railway car journal box which isprovided with depending frame side walls 8l and 82 interconnected attheir upper ends by a frame top wall 83. Underneath the frame top wall83 is located the bearing adapter 18 against which the roller bearingassembly 19 is arranged to react upwardly.

For the reasons outlined hereinbefore it is desirable to limit thedownward movement of the roller bearing assembly 19 19 in the railwaycar journal box 80. For this purpose openings 84 are formed in the sidewalls 81 and 82 near their lower ends for receiving thrust block meansthe details of construction of which are illustrated more clearly inFIGS. 16, 17, 19 and 2l. Reference character 85 designates, generally,the thrust block means. It includes a thrust block 86 having an arcuatebearing surface 87 normally positioned in spaced relation to thecylindrical outer surface 2l of the roller bearing assembly 19 asillustrated in FIG. 13. The thrust block 86 is mounted on arms 88 whichare provided with outstanding trunnions 89rfor pivotal mounting in amanner to be described. Stops 91 extend upwardly from the arms 88 tolimit the pivotal movement of the thrust block means 85 toward theroller bearing assembly 19 by contacting the outer surfaces of thedepending frame side walls 811 and 82.

For pivotally mounting the thrust block means 85 thrust block adapters94, FIGS. 16, 17, 18 and 20 are employed. As shown in FIG. 13 the thrustblock adapters 94 are weldedat 95 and 96 to the outer surfaces of thedepending frame side walls 8l and 82.

Each thrust block adapter 94 has a semi-circular groove 97 for receivingthe trunnions 89 of the thrust block means 85. Along the groove 97 thereis located a projection 98 which, as shown in FIG. 13, serves toaccurately position the thrust block adapter 94 in the openings 84 priorto performing the welding operation.

The thrust block adapter 94 also is provided with semi-circular openings100 and 101 for receiving a transverse pin 102 to hold the thrust blockmeans 85 in operative position. As shown more clearly in FIG. 16 thesemi-circular opening 100 is closed at one end by a wall 103 to limitthe movement of the transverse pin 102. The semi-circular opening 101has an extension 104 which, as shown more clearly in FIG. 18, isprovided with semi-circular openings 105 to receive a cotter pin 106which reacts against the adjacent end of the transverse pin 102 for thepurpose of holding it in operative position.

As illustrated in FIG. 14 the thrust block adapters 94, having thethrust block means 85 assembled therewith, are welded in place at 95 and96 adjacent the openings 84. The roller bearing assembly 19 is movedupwardly in the journal box 80 or the journal box 80 is moved downwardlyso that the roller bearing assembly 19 is positioned as illustrated inFIG. 13 underneath the bearing adapter 18 which contacts the undersideof the frame top wall 83. Then the thrust block means 85 are pivoted tothe positions shown in FIG. 13 and the transverse pins 102 are placed inoperative position in the semi-circular openings at 100 and 101 in thethrust block adapter 94 and in the semi-circular openings 90 in the arms88. Finally the cotter pin 106 is positioned as illustrated by brokenlines in FlG. to hold the transverse pin 101 against endwise movement.

It will be observed that the construction illustrated in FIG. 13, likethat illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 8 provides a symmetrical arrangement forthe thrust block means 85 in cooperation with the roller bearingassembly 19. The thrust block means 85 are located in symmetrical spacedrelation with respect to the under surface of the roller bearingassembly 19. ln this manner the roller bearing assembly 19 is maintainedmidway between the inner sides of the depending frame side walls 8l and82 thereby preventing sidewise movement of the roller bearing assembly19 sufficient to contact the inner sides of the frame side walls 8l and82.

We claim:

l. ln a railway car bearing construction having a roller bearingassembly located between frame side walls and reacting upwardly againsta bearing adapter underneath a frame top wall and having a cylindricalhousing, thrust block means adjacent an under surface of saidcylindrical housing having an arcuate surface to limit movement thereofaway from said top wall, means pivotally mounting said thrust blockmeans on one of said side walls to swing toward and away from saidcylindrical housing, and removable means extending transversely of saidmounting means and reacting against said one side wall to hold saidthrust block means in operative position relative to said cylindricalhousing.

2. Thrust block means according to claim 1 wherein said mounting meansincludes an L-shaped support having a thrust'block at the distal end ofthe short arm, the pivot mounting is located at the distal end of thelong arm, and said removable means is a pin extending through thejunction of said arms.

3. Thrust block means according to claim 2 wherein said mounting meanscomprises a one piece construction with the arms formed by spaced apartside members integral with said thrust block and said pivot mounting.

4. Thrust block means according to claim 1 wherein said thrust blockmeans and mounting therefor are located at the lower ends of each ofsaid side walls with thrust blocks on opposite sides of and normallyspaced from the surface of said roller bearing assemly.

5. Thrust block means according to claim 4 wherein an adapter is securedto the lower end of one of said side walls, and said removable means inthe form of a pin is supported by said adapter.

6. Thrust block means according to claim 1 wherein said mounting meansincludes an L-shaped support having a thrust block at the distal end ofthe short arm, the pivot mounting is located at the distal end of thelong arm, and said removable means is a bolt extending downwardlythrough the lower end of said one side wall with its head reactingagainst the junction of said arms.

7. Thrust block means according to claim 6 wherein an adapter is securedto the lower end of each of said side walls and said removable means inthe form of a pin is supported by said adapter.

8. Thrust block means according to claim 7 wherein aid mounting for saidthrust block means has outwardly extending trunnions journaled on therespective adapter.

9. Thrust block means according to claim 8 wherein said mounting forsaid thrust block means has a stop arm extending radially of the axis ofsaid trunnions for engaging the respective side wall to limit movementof the respective thrust block toward said roller bearing assembly.

10. In a railway car bearing construction having a roller bearingassembly located between frame side walls and reacting upwardly againsta bearing adapter underneath a frame top wall and having a cylindricalhousing, thrust block means adjacent an under surface of saidcylindrical housing having an arcuate surface to limit movement thereofaway from said top wall, means mounting said thrust block means on oneof said side walls to move toward and away from said cylindricalhousing, and removable pin means reacting against said one side wall tohold said thrust block means in operative position relative to saidcylindrical housing.

1l. Thrust block means according to claim 10 wherein a bolt extendsdownwardly through the lower end of said one side wall with its headunderneath said pin and in the path of movement of said mounting meansaway from said roller bearing assembly.

1. In a railway car bearing construction having a roller bearingassembly located between frame side walls and reacting upwardly againsta bearing adapter underneath a frame top wall and having a cylindricalhousing, thrust block means adjacent an under surface of saidcylindrical housing having an arcuate surface to limit movement thereofaway from said top wall, means pivotally mounting said thrust blockmeans on one of said side walls to swing toward and away from saidcylindrical housing, and removable means extending transversely of saidmounting means and reacting against said one side wall to hold saidthrust block means in operative position relative to said cylindricalhousing.
 2. Thrust block means according to claim 1 wherein saidmounting means includes an L-shaped support having a thrust block at thedistal end of the short arm, the pivot mounting is located at the distalend of the long arm, and said removable means is a pin extending throughthe junction of said arms.
 3. Thrust block means according to claim 2wherein said mounting means comprises a one piece construction with thearms formed by spaced apart side members integral with said thrust blockand said pivot mounting.
 4. Thrust block means according to claim 1wherein said thrust block means and mounting therefor are located at thelower ends of each of said side walls with thrust blocks on oppositesides of and normally spaced from the surface of said roller bearingassemly.
 5. Thrust block means according to claim 4 wherein an adapteris secured to the lower end of one of said side walls, and saidremovable means in the form of a pin is supported by said adapter. 6.Thrust block means according to claim 1 wherein said mounting meansincludes an L-shaped support having a thrust block at the distal end ofthe short arm, the pivot mounting is located at the distal end of thelong arm, and said removable means is a bolt extending downwardlythrough the lower end of said one side wall with its head reactingagainst the junction of said arms.
 7. Thrust block means according toclaim 6 wherein an adapter is secured to the lower end of each of saidside walls and said removable means in the form of a pin is supported bysaid adapter.
 8. Thrust block means according to claim 7 wherein saidmounting for said thrust block means has outwardly extending trunnionsjournaled on the respective adapter.
 9. Thrust block means according toclaim 8 wherein said mounting for said thrust block means has a stop armextending radially of the axis of said trunnions for engaging therespective side wall to limit movement of the respective thrust blocktoward said roller bearing assembly.
 10. In a railway car bearingconstruction having a roller bearing assembly located between frame sidewalls and reacting upwardly against a bearing adapter underneath a frametop wall and having a cylindrical housing, thrust block means adjacentan under surface of said cylindrical housing having an arcuate surfaceto limit movement thereof away from said top wall, means mounting saidthrust block means on one of said side walls to move toward and awayfrom said cylindrical housing, and removable pin means reacting againstsaid one side wall to hold said thrust block means in operative positionrelative to said cylindrical housing.
 11. Thrust block means accordingto claim 10 wherein a bolt extends downwardly through the lower end ofsaid one side wall with its head underneath said pin and in the path ofmovement of said mounting means away from said roller bearing assembly.